In an era of increasing emphasis on standardized testing, it can be difficult to add the works of new authors to the high school English curriculum. But what if reading the poetry and fiction of Judith Ortiz Cofer-Regents and Franklin Professor of English at UGA-or the writing of other multicultural authors, “engaged your students in such deep reading and writing that their scores went through the roof?”
In Judith Ortiz Cofer in the Classroom, author Carol Jago argues that the curriculum should embrace all kinds of literature because such a curriculum keeps students both engaged and challenged.
The writing of Cofer, a Puerto Rican American poet, essayist and novelist appeals to students of all ethnicities, according to Jago, because it speaks to a universal effort to balance the demands of self, home and broader
culture.
This short, readable and practical guide to teaching her work includes several of Cofer’s poems, a rubric for evaluating the reflective essay and an interview with Cofer by Renée Shea.
